No Hope
by Ms. Scarlet Taylor
Summary: What happens when all that you had hoped for is gone, and all you're left with is what could have been. And though it may be painful, recalling those memories of how you got there is the only thing that makes you move on.
1. The Begging of the End

**The Begging of the End**

* * *

She sobs uncontrollably on the shoulder of the boy who was once her enemy. The smell of sandalwood, ash, and blood fill her nostrils. She tills her head to look around, and all she can see is chaos. Bodies broken and burned. Buildings smashed and smoking. And in the middle of it all lies a girl, no older than she, whose eyes look straight into her soul. Eyes which once burned bright gold with determination, hate, and a pound royal heritage. Eyes which have now turned a pale yellow in the shadow of deaths embrace. She knows those eyes will haunt her for the rest of her life.

As she looks around she barely registers that a hand is on her face, thumb stroking her cheek. She leans into this touch and closes her eyes as more tears being to fall. He's trying to talk to her, but she can't hear his words. She opens her eyes and slowly looks up and into his. They are the same molten gold orbs that use to be the center of her nightmares. The same eyes that when seen would cause her to fill with such rage she would see red. The same color as the once proud girl lying dead just a few feet away. But now those eyes look just as hurt and confused as she is.

"It will be alright Katara." he says. But she can hear his pain under his normal raspy voice, and she's pretty sure he is saying that more for his sake than hers. Nevertheless she knows it won't be alright. It never will be. She wishes she could turn back time, or at the very least to the beginning of the summer. She wish they could go back and plan more, train more, and to just be all around prepared more. But then again, all the preparation in the world wouldn't help a bunch of kids and teenagers try to stop a war.

They were naïve and so full of hope that they thought **they** could do the impossible. Really who were they trying to fool, thinking that they could stop a war that thousands of wiser, better train, and more capable people had already tried to do for over 100 years! She wants to look on the bright side. She desperately needs to if she is going to go on. Again she thinks back to the start of summer, and how the scarred boy showed up at the temple. If he had not shown up thins would be a lot worse.

She reaches her hand up to touch his face, just below the scar. A drop of water falls on the back of her hand and she looks up to his eyes only to find their tears unshed. She then turns her face up to the still bright red sky, and just to the right of the comet she sees the moon begin to rise. At that moment the skies open up and the rain pours down. It is almost as if both Agni and Tui themselves are crying out. She looks back down, thumb stroking the edge of his scar.

"No it won't Zuko." She looks him directly in the eyes, "The only hope for the world was a 12-year-old boy and he ran away! We failed."

**~oOo~**

_~Three Months Earlier~_

It's been two weeks since the failed invasion on the Day of Black Sun, and they have walked for the better part of three days to the Western Airtemple. They spent months planning, preparing, and readying themselves for it. Planning for any number of scenarios. All but the one they encountered. Sighing Katara shakes her head trying to ward of the depressing thoughts. She needs to push forward and look on the bright side (no matter how small it is). But the throbbing in her feet is making it kinda difficult.

"Sorry guys, but Appa gets tired having to carry all theses people." Aang says sadly while patting the two ton bison on his head. Appa then lets out a low, almost apologetic sounding, groan in response.

"But don't worry we should be there soon!"

"You said that _yesterday._" Sokka moans.

"And the day before that." Teo chimes in.

Aang starts scratching the back of his head, "I know guys but I promise-"

"Hey we're here! I can feel it!" Toph shouts. Katara looks out but only sees a cliff.

"Uh, I think your feet need their eyes checked." She says.

"No she's right!" Aang says while running to stand beside Toph.

**~oOo~**

After everyone got everything unloaded and Appa settled into the old stable, Teo, Haru, and The Duke went off to explore the temple. While Sokka, Toph, Katara, and Aang gathered around the fountain in the courtyard to come up with a new plan. However after five minutes Aang was ready to go play. Katara wondered how, even after all that travel, he couldn't sit still for more than ten minutes. So when he grabbed his glider and ran off she wasn't the least bit surprised.

Rubbing her temples with her fingers she ignored the grumblings coming from her brother and Toph and walked towards the kitchen. She wanted nothing more than to go to her room and lay down. Or to the group bathroom and take a hot bath, but someone had to make lunch. She wished that someone would offer to help but Aang was the only one who ever did. And when he did he often made things more difficult.

Sighing she grabbed the big pot, filling it with water, and placed it in the fireplace. After light the fire she started to chop up what little vegetables they had left. She began to think of what they would do next.

_Aang needs to find a teacher but who can we find to do it. _She thinks to herself. She puts the vegetables in the pot before going to find Toph to talk it over with.

Katara finds Toph and Sokka down in the makeshift stable with Appa.

"We need to get him to take this seriously." Sokka says

"That's pretty rich coming from you Snozzles." Toph says as she earth bends a chair for herself to sit in.

"Hey that-"

"Guys could we please try to figure this out and how we can get Aang to take it more seriously." Katara says while rubbing her temples again, trying to wane off her on coming headache. She groans, closing her eyes, and rubs harder. This is the third headache in a week. She hears a swooshing sound and opens her eyes to see Aang swooping down to land beside her.

"Guys this is so much fun!" He says with a big grin on his face.

"That's great Aang but we need to talk." She says while placing a hand on his glider incase he tries to fly off again. But then Toph quickly stands up.

"That's gonna have to wait." Pointing over to Appa who moved out of the way to revile the one person who they don't need to see right now.

"Hello. Zuko here."

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_**AN: Ok so… Just incase you missed it I am/have rewritten this story. 1**__**st**__** person was just to hard and I was having to force it so I changed it so hopefully the chapters will come a lot faster.**_

_**Feel free to R&R anything is welcomed **_

_**Until next time **_

_**:)**_


	2. Regretful Choices

**Regretful Choices **

Katara was so preoccupied that she didn't see it coming until it was too late. She was busy focusing on how they where going to deal with one more mouth to feed. It didn't help that while Aang and Zuko where _playing _with the dragons they didn't bother to pick up any supplies, and no one was willing to go into the village near by to get some. It seamed like nothing was going right for Katara ever since the jerk bender, as Sokka accurately nick named him, showed up. And today was no exception.

"Katara, LOOK OUT!" She turned in the direction of Aang's scream and saw the ball of fire heading straight for her. Everything then happened in slow motion. She cursed herself for not having her water skin, and for not being fast enough to collect the water from the air. At first when the sphere made contact with her leg she couldn't feel it. She saw her clothes burning around the area, the skin turning an ungodly shade of red as it burned, and even Aang and Zuko running to her out of the corner of her eye.

She saw all of this happen before she even felt it, but then she could. There are no words to describe the noise that ripped from her throat when she felt it. She fell to the ground clutching her leg and let another scream ring out. She remembered the first time she was burned when she got to close to the fire when she was little. She remembered the first time Aang burned her when he started to learn how to firebend. She can remember every burn that ever happened to her, but none compare to this one.

She moves her hands away from her leg to get a good look at it. Katara has never been a squeamish person, but she almost vomits at the sight of her own leg.

"Katara are you ok. Oh my spirits I'm so sorry!" Aang says as he comes to kneel beside her. He leans in to hug her causing her to move her leg ever so slightly, but it's enough to make her cry out again. As calmly as she can, she pushes him away and looks up at him. She wants to be mad, she has every right to, but she knows it was an accident. However she finds it quite hard to keep her voice in check as she speaks to him.

"I'll be fine Aang. I just need to get to the fountain and heal it." She takes a few deep breaths before trying to stand only to fall right back down.

"Here let me help you." Aang offers but when he leans over he accidentally hits Katara's leg. She gasps out in pain before she quickly pushes him away, and ignores the look of guilt and regret on his face.

"Don't touch me please." She says through gritted teeth. She tries to stand again, and starts to fall back down when a pair of warm hands catch her under her arms.

"Here let me-"

"No! Just put me down and don't touch me. Let me just rest here for a bit and then I'll go heal it." She interjects. Zuko gently lowers her to the ground before he starts to speak.

"The longer you wait the harder it will be to heal."

"I know that!" She snaps, "I just… I." She can feel the on set of tears build up behind her eyes. She is in so much pain and yet she refuses to let anyone help her. She's refuses to let anyone, especially Zuko, think of her as weak. But as she thinks that she will crumble at any moment, she hears the only voice she cares about at that moment.

"Katara!" She hears the worried voice of her brother as he kneels down and grabs her hand.

"What in the Spirit Realm happened Jerkbender!" He shouts while pointing an accusing finger and Zuko.

"Me! Why do you-"

"It wasn't Zuko it was me." Aang admits with his head downcast. "I was showing off and Zuko tried to get me to stop but I didn't listen Katara I'm so-" He was cut off with a raise of Sokka's hand

"Come on let's get you fixed up." Sokka stared to scoop her up when Katara tried to protest.

"No I can walk really I-"

"**No**." Sokka rarely used his _older brother voice_, but when he does Katara listens.

**~oOo~**

Even with her water bending healing Zuko knew Katara would need more to fully heal her burn. Once Sokka put Katara in her room, after she healed herself the best she could, he gathered the rest of the gaang to discuss what all would be needed for the burn salve.

"Aang and Toph, you two need go into the village to get these herbs, bandages, and any other supplies we need." He said while handing Aang a list.

"Teo, Haru, and Duke-"

"_THE _Duke!" Zuko just rolled his eyes and continued, ignoring the child's interruption.

"You three go to the library and look up these plants in the scrolls." Handing Teo another list. "Once you have the scroll go to the forest and collect the plants."

"Uh, question?" Aang said while raising his hand in the air like they where in a school. "I kinda wanted to stay here with Katara. Why can't someone else go?

"No one else has a fire nation disguise." Sokka supplied.

"You and Zuko have Fire Nation outfits."

"Even with our Fire Nation outfits we could run the chance of getting caught."

"How?" Zuko groaned inwardly. He was getting annoyed with the Avatar's childish attitude.

"**Because,** we are still very close to the fire nation. Sokka is very obviously water tribe. No offence." Shooting Sokka a quick glance.

"None taken." He said with a wave of his hand. Zuko nodded his head in acknowledgement before continuing.

"And I am, rather recognizable." His and twitched at his side fighting the urge to touch his scar.

"Any more questions?" He asked with a slightly annoyed tone in his voice. The group gave a collective shake of their heads and headed off to do their assigned tasks. Sigh Zuko went and sat down by the fountain and ran a hand though his shaggy hair. He looked up as Sokka approached him.

"Hey can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." shrugging his shoulders he stood. "What about?"

"How much do you know about the Fire Nation prisons."

"A little bit. Why?" he questioned his question with a raised eyebrow.

"Where would they keep war criminals?

"Depends on the criminal. Why?" he asked again.

"I was just wondering where they might be keeping my dad or my girlfriend. She was the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. And he helped to plan the invasion on the Day of Black Sun."

"Well they would probably be held at the top security prison. The Boiling Rock. Again, why?"

"Oh no reason. Ok well thanks Zuko for telling me. I fell better just knowing. I'm gonna go check on Katara." As Sokka walked off in the direction of Katara's room, Zuko couldn't help bet feel like he was going to regret tell Sokka that.

**~oOo~**

He was cold. Not as cold as he was at the Northern Watertribe, but cold never the less. Zuko defiantly regretted telling Sokka about Boiling Rock. He focused on his breathing and used his inner fire to keep him warm. He had manage to unscrewed all the bolts faster than they thought it would take, and now he just hoping Sokka would come to let him out soon. As the doors to the cooler open Zuko starts to suspect that the water tribe siblings are mind readers.

"If you think you have learned your lesson I will take you back to your cell." Sokka said in his deep _guard_ voice.

"Yes I have." Zuko replied while holding out his shirt to show that all the screws were undone. Once they were almost to Zuko's cell the stopped at an empty cell to dispose of the bolts and discuss that plan.

"So, small change in the plan." Sokka said with a sheepish voice.

"What is it." Zuko groaned.

"Well. While you where in lock up another shipment of prisoners came in."

"And?"

"My dad was with them." Sokka said half heartedly.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yeah it is, but your-sister-brought-them-in." He said rather quickly.

"WHAT! Why is she here?" He half shouted.

"Why do you think. She's here for YOU."

Sighing Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose before asking the obvious question. "What's the plan now?"

"Yeah about that."

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_**AN:Yay I updated! I would have like to make it longer but I've been having issues with my computer and I wanted to upload this so I didn't lose it… Again.**_

_**So please tell me what you think.**_

_**Oh btw I did Zutara Week this year feel free to check it out(please)**_


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